The Tasty Triumvirate–Items Not to Be Missed

In my very first blog posting, I would like to take this opportunity to inform you all of three staple food items that I rarely do without. These aren’t necessarily “essentials,” but they are darn tasty, healthy, and easy to prepare (for those of us who are on a tight time schedule and need convenience).

Of course, I also LOVE cooking and baking, but I save that mainly for the weekends. During the week The Tasty Triumvirate takes center stage.

Akara Bean Cakes:

This is one of the best vegan items to come out since sliced bread (or at least since the original movie Annie came out). And these tasty little gems are gluten free and organic too. They remind me of a cross between falafel (the non-fried version) and a veggie burger. Note: these suckers are hard to find! If you are in the Boston area, they can be found at Whole Foods (Symphony and Fresh Pond locations only). If you’re not in the Boston area, then do a Google search to find them.

My motto is BE CREATIVE when it comes to food. All food, any food. A salad consisting of merely lettuce, some mushrooms, and carrots is for the birds. And I’m not talking about Big Bird. Be Creative!

Here’s an idea: spring mix, herbs, spices, vegan bac-o’s, spinach, mushrooms, broccoli, beans, African bean cake, vegan Parmesan cheese, vegan feta cheese, etc. (I think you’re getting the point now). And here’s a creative and healthy dressing: balsamic vinegar, salsa, mustard, and hummus (it comes out tasty, rich, and creamy, and it complements veggies well). Mix and chop it all up together. It may look visually unappetizing, but I can assure you that your taste buds will heartily rejoice! If the look is less than beautiful, get even more creative! Stuff that delectable but dilapidated looking salad into a freshly warmed, protein packed, whole-wheat pita bread! In fact, this is where Joseph’s Pita Bread comes into the picture. Done and done.

Joseph’s Flax, Oat Bran & Whole Wheat Flour Pita Bread:

“NO Trans Fats, NO Cholesterol, High Protein, and Reduced Carbs” is this pita’s motto. This item is also low calorie, with only 60 calories per pita. An aside: of course this pita is cholesterol free because all vegan items are always cholesterol free! That pesky cholesterol comes from animal sources only. Plants and veggies have insignificant amounts. In addition to a vegan diet, also try Red Yeast Rice for a complementary health approach to combating high cholesterol.

Good Belly:

I LOVE Probiotics. And if there is one supplement I would highly suggest it’s a probiotic. In this case, quality is important. As of late, I’ve been using Good Belly—a tasty, all-in-one multi-vitamin supplement PLUS probiotic. With its reasonable price (about $5 for 4, 2.7 fluid ounce bottles) and a variety of flavors, it’s a slam-dunk. My favorite flavor is mango peach.

However, if anyone out there has IBS, poor digestion, Candida, recurring yeast infections, etc. then I have the answer for you! BioK is a drinkable and dairy free probiotic that saved my life–or at least my stomach! For years, I was having horrible stomach issues (although nothing diagnosable), and most foods I ate resulted in stomach agony. One day I was in a health food store and overheard one of the employees RAVING about the miraculous benefits of BioK. I told him my predicament, and he said to give it a try. I did and within a few days I was reborn (well, my stomach was reborn which, fortunately, also did wonders for my mental state).

The only catch with the BioK is that it’s pricey, something along the lines of liquid gold. I’m exaggerating, but not by much. It is about $5 for one 2-ounce bottle. Yes, like I said: liquid gold. For the same price, you can purchase 4 bottles of Good Belly. But when you are talking about your health, I say pricey exceptions (at least for a bit) ought to sometimes be made.

Bottom line: if you are having serious Candida, stomach, and digestion problems, I say go for the BioK, especially if you are taking antibiotics and want to combat a potential yeast infection. At least try it, I think you’ll end up giving a testimonial too. Just remember to pick up the dairy free (purple bottle) version!

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The Most Sinfully Delicious Sweet Potato Pie:

This pareve pie goes particularly well with Tofurky or Field Roast, at Thanksgiving or any time of the year. Read more